What is a protective spasm of the muscular abdominal wall called?

What is a protective spasm of the muscular abdominal wall called?

• A. Rigidity
• B. Guarding
• C. Spasm
• D. Tetanus

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how the abdominal wall responds to irritation or inflammation. When the peritoneum is irritated, the muscles of the abdominal wall can tense up to protect the internal organs. If this tightening is involuntary and produces a constant, board‑like stiffening of the abdomen, that is described as rigidity. Guarding, by contrast, refers to a voluntary or semi‑voluntary tensing that the patient may be able to relax with examination or reassurance, and it’s not the same as the persistent, involuntary rigidity sign you’re looking for. Tetanus causes generalized, systemic muscle stiffness, not a localized protective response of the abdominal wall. Spasm is too general a term and doesn’t specify the protective, involuntary stiffening pattern. So the protective abdominal wall response described here is best labeled rigidity.

The main idea is how the abdominal wall responds to irritation or inflammation. When the peritoneum is irritated, the muscles of the abdominal wall can tense up to protect the internal organs. If this tightening is involuntary and produces a constant, board‑like stiffening of the abdomen, that is described as rigidity. Guarding, by contrast, refers to a voluntary or semi‑voluntary tensing that the patient may be able to relax with examination or reassurance, and it’s not the same as the persistent, involuntary rigidity sign you’re looking for. Tetanus causes generalized, systemic muscle stiffness, not a localized protective response of the abdominal wall. Spasm is too general a term and doesn’t specify the protective, involuntary stiffening pattern. So the protective abdominal wall response described here is best labeled rigidity.